Tag: quick and easy recipe
Easy as 123 Spareribs

Easy as 123 Spareribs

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As I was driving home the other day I called the Hubster and asked “What’s for dinner?”.  The retired guy replied, “I thought you were making dinner”.  Excuse me? Moi?  The person driving home after a full day at WORK?

Fine, I’ll make dinner but you are on cleanup…

A pack of spareribs, cut crosswise into thirds (thanks Asian market), a knob of ginger and bunch of scallions in the fridge-time to make Irene Kuo’s 12345 Spare Ribs from Food52.  The rest of the ingredients are in my pantry, soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine and sugar, that’s all I need. Oh, and my trusty Instant Pot.

I added the step of browning the ribs with ginger and scallions just to give it a flavor boost. Feel free to skip this step and start by putting the ribs and braising liquid in the instant pot without frying. Add a couple of minutes to the cooking time.

Set time for 15 minutes and let your IP do it’s thing. Meanwhile make some rice and veggies, any greens will do nicely.  Give it a couple of minutes before releasing the pressure on your IP. Remove ribs. switch to sauté and reduce sauce until it thickens to a syrupy consistency.  Add the ribs back in and stir to heat and coat them with sauce.

Scoop rice into a bowl, top with the ribs and greens, and garnish with green onions.  Enjoy!

Epilogue

Me? I headed to the couch, turned on the telly, and relaxed while the hubs did the dishes!

The ingredients for these ribs can be found in most Asian markets.  Use Shaoxing Wine (Chinese Sherry) or dry sherry.  Dark soy sauce has added molasses, don’t substitute regular soy sauce which is actually saltier than dark soy.  Favorite brands include Koon Chun or Lee Kum Kee.

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Sweet & Sticky Chinese Ribs

Adaptation of Irene Kuo's 1-2-3-4-5 Spare Ribs. Sweet, savory braised ribs, delicious with a bowl of rice. Using a pressure cooker will keep ribs moist and shorten the cooking time.
Course Drinks, Main Course, Meat
Cuisine Asian, Asian-American, Chinese
Keyword Instant Pot, spareribs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure Cooker I use an Instant Pot

Ingredients

Fry It Up

  • 1 1/2 pounds pork spareribs ask the butcher to cut the slab of ribs crosswise into 3 pieces. You can cut them into individual ribs at home
  • 1 stalk scallion, cut into 3 inch lengths optional
  • 2 slices fresh ginger, smashed optional

Braising Liquid

  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry preferably Shao Xing Wine
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 5 tablespoons water

Garnish

  • 1-2 stalks green onions, sliced diagonally in 1/8-1/4" pieces

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

  • Set Instant Pot on saute'. Once heated add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Toss in ginger and scallions and saute' briefly (30 sec) then add spareribs. Fry until the ribs lose their pinkness.
  • Add braising liquid ingredients. When the liquid comes to a boil, stir well to coat the ribs, turn off saute function, and place lid on Instant Pot.
  • Set IP on high pressure (use Meat setting) and adjust time to 15 minutes. When it is done, wait a couple of minutes before CAREFULLY releasing pressure to your Instant Pot.
  • Remove ribs from pot. Set Instant Pot to saute' and reduce remaining liquid to a thick syrupy sauce. Turn it off and add ribs back into pot, stir to coat the ribs. Spoon ribs onto a serving plate.
  • Garnish with scallions. Serve immediately with rice.

Stovetop Directions

  • Put the ribs in a skillet or saucepan and set it over high heat; add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mingle. When the liquid comes to a boil, adjust heat to maintain a very gentle simmering, and cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir and turn the spareribs from time to time.
  • Uncover and turn heat high to bring the sauce to a sizzling boil; stir rapidly until the sauce is all but evaporated. Garnish with scallions. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

Using a pressure cooker not only shortens the cooking time but ensures tender and moist ribs.
Puttin’ On the Ritz…Chicken

Puttin’ On the Ritz…Chicken

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This past weekend the hubster went up to Tahoe to do maintenance on our cabin.  So I was flying solo at home with Sammy our dog who has a tough time traveling 😢 these days.

When dinnertime rolled around, I decided to open a bottle of wine and make myself a nice meal.  I had just seen Eric Kim’s recent post for NYTcooking, Ritzy Cheddar Chicken Breast and being a Ritz Cracker fiend, I immediately bookmarked the recipe.  This would be the perfect time to try his recipe.

Competitive Spirit

Aside from Carrot Cake and Good Cookies, if there is a meal that reigns supreme in our house, it is Wes’s Cornflake Chicken.  To be exact, Cornflake Chicken and Cream of Mushroom Soup.  How many of you remember your mom or dad fixing a version of this?  Come on, be honest, we have all had this precursor to Shake and Bake.  Instead of chicken perhaps pork chops?  Gotcha, didn’t I?

Being a card-carrying member of the ridiculous group “I am a foodie” and thus holding an unwarranted disdain for all foods I liked when I was twelve, I have never made cornflake chicken.  To this day, when the kids come home, they will request cornflake chicken or pork chops which Wes is more than happy to fulfill.

Could Eric’s version of chicken, marinated in sour cream, Dijon mustard and rolled in copious amounts of Ritz Crackers and Cheddar Cheese best the gold standard Cornflake Chicken?  I was determined to find out.

Easy Peasy, Chicken Cheesy

The prep for this dish is as easy and quick as Cornflake Chicken.  The chicken breasts are split in half and lightly pounded into cutlets then dropped into a marinade of Dijon mustard, salt, and sour cream which also tenderizes the chicken.

While the chicken marinates make your coating.  Crush a sleeve of Ritz Crackers, grate some sharp cheddar cheese, and season with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Next time I might just add more spices, maybe some paprika and thyme.  Finish with a glug of olive oil, which will help the coating stick to the chicken and crisp it.

Roll chicken in crumb mixture, really pressing it in so you have a nice coat.  If you have crumbs left, don’t waste them, sprinkle them on the chicken.

The chicken bakes at 450 (hot, hot, hot) and should only take about ten minutes (boneless, split in half, and pounded means quick cooking).

I made a salad of Romaine, ripe cherry tomatoes (thank you Snook), and Japanese cucumbers (very crispy and delicious) with a simple vinaigrette.

Sat down with a glass of wine and a gorgeous dinner plate in about 30 minutes.  How great is that?  Eric strikes again with another fabulous, easy, dish.  The cracker coating was crispy, cheesy and tangy from the mustard, the chicken was perfectly cooked, moist, and tender and the salad a nice counterpoint.

I know what you are all thinking…does this beat out Wes’s Cornflake Chicken?  Probably not.  Nothing beats a dish from your childhood.  Will I make it again?  Absolutely!

I saved the last 2 pieces of chicken, one for Wes to judge, and one which made an amazing sandwich for lunch…yummos!

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Ritzy Cheddar Cheese Chicken Breasts

A quick and easy baked Crispy Cheddar Chicken Breasts
Course dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword baked chicken, cheddar cheese, chicken breasts, easy recipe, ERic KIm, Ritz Crackers, sour cream
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

Da Marinade

  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt Diamond Crystal, use at least 1 teaspoon. For reg salt, start with 1/2 teaspoon

Da protein

  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds total)
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers about 100 grams
  • 2 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for greasing wire rack
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, paprika or chili powder optional

Instructions

  • Position rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place an ovenproof wire rack over a sheet pan. Dab a folded-up paper towel with olive oil and rub it over the wire rack to grease it or use a brush. Place rack in oven to preheat.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg white and Dijon mustard until smooth. Season with salt. Set aside.
  • Lay the chicken flat on a cutting board and carve each breast in half horizontally so you end up with four thin cutlets. Add the chicken to the sour cream mixture, and smear the sour cream all over the chicken.
  • In a large bowl, crush the Ritz crackers into coarse pieces with your fingers. Some crackers will turn to rubble while others turn to dust. Leave some chunks, which will crisp up nicely in the oven. Add the cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and olive oil (add some thyme and or paprika, 1/2 t each if you like) . Season with ½ teaspoon salt and toss until evenly distributed.
  • Hold chicken cutlet by its thinner end, add to the bowl with the crumbs, and using your hands, press the crumbs onto the chicken to create a thick coating. Transfer the breaded chicken to the rack in the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining cutlets. If you have leftover crumb mixture, sprinkle if on chicken before baking.
  • Bake the cutlets until the outsides are crispy and the insides are no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes (check at 10!!!). Let the chicken cool slightly so the coating can set, about 5 minutes, before transferring to plates.
  • Serve with with a nice crisp salad!
Stir-Fried Pork Belly and Bean Sprouts

Stir-Fried Pork Belly and Bean Sprouts

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I created 3jamigos to chronicle our family’s food adventures, recipes, and stories, for my kids.  In college, I often called home to ask my dad how to make homestyle Cantonese dishes I grew up eating.  Dishes like fuzzy melon soup, congee, and steamed pork patty, were the connection to my family, a sure-fire remedy to my homesickness.  Things have come full circle, I’m now on the receiving end of the “how do you make…?”.  When I come across a simple and delicious dish, and I think the kids would like it, I make a mental note to put it on 3jamigos.

Soul Food

The OG meal to cure homesickness! Corn Soup, stir-fried anything green, Steamed Pork Patty with Salted Eggs, and Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage, and Mushrooms.

Soul food for my family is Cantonese food (Roots, Baby), but over the years has expanded to other Asian cuisines.  Nowadays, you are just as likely to find Bulgogi, Japchae, and Teriyaki on our dinner table.  My latest find is the cookbook,  A Common Table by Cynthia McTernan, it speaks to the melting pot we are.  Absolutely one of my favorites. It’s beautifully written, gorgeously photographed, and filled with delicious user-friendly recipes.  I have also come to depend on blogs and websites for Korean, Vietnamese, and Japanese recipes that are now part of the family meal rotation.

This quick and easy, Stir-Fried Pork Belly with Bean Sprouts has become a family favorite.   Adapted from the blog, Korean Bapsang, it is a quick meal on a busy weeknight.  A couple of minutes of prepping and cooking is all it takes.  Before you know it you’ll be sitting down to a bowl of steaming hot rice topped with a generous scoop of yummy pork and sprouts…yep, bowl food is soul food.

Check It Out Now-Sprout Soul Sistah

Slivers of pork belly stir-fried with bean sprouts, onions, and scallions seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce, it’s simple and delicious.   Use thinly sliced pork butt or shoulder instead of pork belly if you like. Thinly sliced beef is also an option.  IN A PINCH, use regular thick-sliced bacon.  This would add that characteristic smoky flavor of bacon, which would be okay in my book 😉.

Sprouts

The only thing you need to know about the bean sprouts for this recipe…don’t overcook them!  Keep them crunchy!  That’s it, folks.  Make sure you pick sprouts that are white and shiny, with a nice yellow tip.  I also threw in a thinly sliced, de-seeded Serrano or Thai pepper, for a little spice.

Enjoy!

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Stir-fried pork belly and bean sprouts-Samgyupsal sukju bokkeum

A quick and easy stir fry of pork belly and bean sprouts.
Course Meat, One dish meals, Vegetable
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Keyword Pork Belly
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces thinly sliced/shaved pork belly or other thinly sliced pork or beef
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 10 ounces bean sprouts
  • 1/4 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 -3 plump garlic cloves
  • 2-3 scallions or 2 ounces garlic chives cut into 1 inch segments, if they are large, cut in half lengthwise first
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or oyster sauce Use 1 T of each
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 fresh red chili pepper, deseeded and sliced thinly

Instructions

  • If you are using pork belly, cut each slice into 1 inch segments, for other meats thinly sliced into bite sized pieces
  • Give the bean sprouts a quick rinse, and drain. Thinly slice the onion, and cut the scallions (or garlic chives) into 2-inch pieces.
  • Heat a large pan over high heat. Add the sesame oil to the pan and then the pork, stir-fry quickly until no longer pink.
  • Add the onion and stir fry briefly 30 seconds. Add bean sprouts chili pepper (if using) and scallions, continue to stir fry until the bean sprouts have wilted slightly but are still crunchy.
  • Add the soy sauce and/or oyster sauce, garlic, sugar and pepper to taste. Stir-fry quickly. Season with salt to taste if necessary. Serve with a big bowl of rice (although this would go well with noods too). Enjoy!

Notes

You can find a variety of extra thin cut meats in your local Korean/Asian markets.
If you want to thinly slice the meat yourself, freeze the meat until it's firm, but still sliceable. With a sharp knife, slice the meat as thin as you can.
Quick Pho Ga
Two Pho-One Deal (Pho Ga Noodle Soup & Chicken Noodle Salad)

Two Pho-One Deal (Pho Ga Noodle Soup & Chicken Noodle Salad)

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Last week I posted a teaser on Instagram and FB of a really quick version of Pho Ga, Vietnamese chicken rice noodle soup. “In less than an hour, you will be sitting down to a steaming hot, delicious bowl of noodles. Recipe post tonight!”

Sorry, stuff happens and I am a procrastinator by nature.  Tonight is NOW, finally (my humble opinion, worth the wait).

I found the recipe for the quick and easy Pho in the Los Angeles Times.  I LOVE that paper.  When I lived in LA I religiously read the Wednesday Food Section (sometimes the front page but never the sports page-my dislike for the Dodgers never waned).  Some of my favorite recipes and stalwarts in my repertoire are from the LA Times.  I’m adding not only this Pho Ga Soup but a little gem that was tagged onto the end, a delicious chicken noodle salad, Phở Gà Trộn, made from the same ingredients, soooo good.  I almost like it more than the Pho Ga.  You can find the recipe and notes for Pho Ga Tron HERE.  Both recipes are from Andrea Nguyen, Asian cookbook author extraordinaire.

Back to the Pho Ga.  Aside from going out to your favorite hole in the wall for pho, making pho at home is a weekend project. Making it after a long commute, on a weekday, ridiculous!  But a couple of shortcuts and whaddya know…nothing better than a delicious bowl of noodles after a horrendous commute.

Shhhh…The secret is to start with pre-made broth.  If you have homemade-grrrrreat, if not, low sodium canned or boxed broth works well. Toasted coriander seeds, green onions, and ginger are added to the broth along with chicken, cilantro stems and salt. While the broth simmers for about 20 minutes, prep your noodles and garnishes.  Boom, you have just doctored stock into a perfectly respectable, delicious, chicken soup for pho.  For garnishes, I usually have cilantro, mint, green onions or Thai basil and limes on the table.  Don’t forget to put out the Siracha and Hoisin Sauce!

Quick Pho Ga
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Quick Chicken Pho (phở gà nhanh)

Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Pho Ga
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3⁄4 inch piece ginger
  • 2 medium-large green onions
  • 1 bunch cilantro sprigs
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 1 whole clove
  • 3 1⁄2 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh reserve one for noodle salad
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 5 ounces dried narrow flat rice noodles such as banh pho, rice stick or pad Thai noodles
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon organic sugar or 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
  • Pepper optional
  • 1/4 thinly sliced red onion optional for broth
  • 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms optional for broth

Garnishes

  • sliced green onions
  • chopped cilantro
  • Thai basil leaves leave on stem
  • fresh mint leave on stem
  • bean sprouts
  • lime wedges

Instructions

  • Peel then slice the ginger into 4 or 5 coins. Smack with the flat side of a knife or meat mallet and set aside. Thinly slice the green parts of the green onion to yield 2 to 3 tablespoons, and set aside to use as a garnish. Cut the leftover sections into 2- to 3-inch lengths, bruise, then add to the ginger.
  • Coarsely chop the leafy tops of the cilantro to yield 2 tablespoons; set aside to use as a garnish. Set the remaining cilantro sprigs aside.
  • In a 3- to 4-quart pot, toast the coriander seeds and clove over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ginger and bruised green onion sections. Stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
  • Remove the pot from heat for about 15 seconds to briefly cool, then pour in the broth. Add the water, cilantro sprigs, chicken, and salt. (optional, add mushrooms and red onions) Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately then lower the heat to gently simmer for 20-25 minutes.
  • While the broth simmers, soak the rice noodles in hot water until pliable and opaque. Drain, rinse, and set aside.  Test your noodles, they should be soft and pliable but still have a slight bite.
  • After 10-12 minutes of simmering, the chicken should be firm and cooked through (press on it and it should slightly yield). Transfer the chicken to a bowl, flush with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain. Set the chicken aside until cool enough to handle, then shred into bite-size pieces. You will only need 1 chicken breast for the soup.  Reserve second one for noodle salad. If you don't plan on making the salad, use only 1 piece of chicken. 
  • When the broth is done simmering, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium pot.  Discard the solids. You should have about 4 cups broth. Season with fish sauce and sugar, if needed, to create a strong savory-sweet note. If using red onion you may not need sugar.
  • Bring the strained broth to a boil over high heat. Put the noodles in a noodle strainer or mesh sieve and dunk in the hot broth to heat and soften, 5 to 60 seconds. Lift the noodles from the pot and divide between the 2 bowls.
  • Reduce the heat to keep the broth hot while you arrange the chicken on top of the noodles and garnish with the chopped green onion, cilantro, and a sprinkling of pepper. Taste for seasoning. Return the broth to a boil and ladle into the bowls.
  • Extra broth can be refrigerated or frozen. You will need 1/2 cup of broth for the noodle salad.

Notes

Each serving: Calories 457; Protein 33 grams; Carbohydrates 70 grams; Fiber 2 grams; Fat 6 grams; Saturated fat 1 gram; Cholesterol 72 mg; Sugar 2 grams; Sodium 1,363 mg